A recent report from the California Policy Lab at UCLA has highlighted encouraging preliminary results from the Homelessness Prevention Unit (HPU) operating in LA County. According to the report released on Thursday, enrollees were 71% less likely to use homeless shelters or require street outreach within 18 months, in comparison to those at a similar risk who did not join the program.
Developed by the California Policy Lab, the HPU employs a predictive model that targets the county's most vulnerable residents, often people without ties to currently established services, to head off impending crises of homelessness. In partnership with the county's health and chief information offices, the unit not only connects people to services but also provides them with financial assistance. Interestingly, enrollees received an average of $6,469 to aid their situations, though amounts adjusted with household size.
Operational since 2021, the HPU program has already served 1,498 individuals, attaining a housing retention rate of 86% post-program. Dana Vanderford, Associate Director of Homelessness Prevention for the LA County Department of Health Services, stated, "This model helps us reach people before they experience a crisis." Their sentiment reinforces the program's aim to intervene before disaster strikes, a departure from standard reactive approaches.
Although engaging the targeted individuals for enrollment proved arduous, HPU's enrollment rate was boosted by 67%—from 21% to 35%—after the adoption of a series of operational improvements, which encompass a dedicated outreach team. The report evaluates a pilot-phase cohort and contrasts 335 enrolled individuals against 1,285 eligible but not enrolled peers, spotlighting the program's impact on housing stability and other metrics.
"This is what smart homelessness prevention can look like, using predictive modeling and supportive services to act early, not after someone ends up homeless," Janey Rountree, Executive Director of the California Policy Lab at UCLA, explained in the report's announcement. The full results of the ongoing randomized control trial are expected to arrive in 2027, shedding further light on the HPU's efficacy.
As articulated by Max Stevens, Chief Analytics Officer at the Los Angeles County Chief Information Office, "The early signs from HPU suggest we're on the right track. This is a powerful model for what targeted, data-informed support can achieve in preventing homelessness." More insights on the HPU program and its accomplishments can be found in the California Policy Lab's report, available online.
